Lift mechanism for sliding car doors



/A/ VEA/T52 @95E/EL MFJDL GND Filed NOV. 26, 1948 lll/l//l/ G MADLAND LIFT MECHANISM FOR SLIDING CAR DOORS Nov. 22, 1949 Patented Nov. 22,1949

. .l PATENT O FF ICE FOR SLIDINGCR DOORS Gabriel-Median@ Chicagorlll., assgnor -to The Youngstown 'Steel .Door-Company, Cleveland, 'Ohm'a corporation of Ohio mliwiion .November 26, 1948, Seria-l No. 62,064

12 Claims.

Thisfsinvention: relatesffto' litt mechanism-for sliding cardomfs.:`

It is =an object 'ofi-this invention to' provide lift mechanism for Isliding doors of railway-cars which shall embody-means. for,v maintaining :the l'operating .lever of said ynzchanism in vvertical ,position when the doors are in lowered position and .preven-t whipping fof `the lever'whenthe cars :are in 'tllamslby A ffurtherpbject V-is to provide' mechanism yof the character. stated above which .shall v#dispense with members heretofore I required .in similar .mechanism while retaining the oithese members. r

A. :further `object is i to provide. mechanism Vof the'fch'aracterfdescribed fabove which r shall obviate punching i and .conseqnent distortion .and weakening cf lconmacting bars forming a 'part of such mechanism.

7Other l"objects eff-fthe :mventionwill lb'ecom'e clear as the description iheneoffpmceeds.'

In' thev drawingsgto'nming pantof this specifica- .1 :a .irafgmentary elevation :of sliding cara doorl equipped with liftr mechanism embodying. the instant invention,1.the ydoor:being shown in. lowered position. 2

Fig@ isfa wieWsimil-aritolig. igthe-door-being shown `feleva'ate'd. position;

Fig..f3 is n :section itakenfonline 3-2-3-cf 'Fl-g. l.

Riggs 'isza planvie'w'nf pneloi the brackets'utilized-'ini the lifting: mechanism.

'15 isan enlarged idetail finelevation Iof an assembled bracket `and springactuated lplunger oifztneiift mechanismslooking `trom the back lof the .brackets-H In the drawings, the `liftlinechanismf'embodying tnefiinstantninvention is'shown applied. for the pin-ipcse of filmstration-,r t'o-fa. sliding- 'metallic door t' 'Jf'o'r fa VVYrailwaycar.- As fshown, lthe door embodies l:a fmetall-ic panel Y' i IY formed with spaced horizontal f 'corr-ugations I 12 iand reinforced Valong itsftrcntand rear yertifcaimarginsby means of member-si I3 and JH'. f metallic-plate I5 is secured tothe lower-'margin loi-the panel iIl as 'by means foifrivetsi It. The metallic plate-is vflanged inwardlywas:indcatedat- I1 and then upwardly asf'fshown fat 'I8. upwardly? extending -ange I8 is adapted tov besecuredasby means of welding to' the lower edge ofithe backing' 'plate I-9 the upper `portion oi'fwhich is fastened. to the metallic-:panel Hf sozastocoopeatetherewith andfwith the plate member 145'. tolfiprovi'de. :a tubular. `construction:V lwit-hin frwhich '.thealift mecin'inisnr. is adaptedfto beidisposed:

The inwardly extending flange portion I'I of the plate I5 is adapted to engage the vhorizontal leg 2i] of an angular track 2| when the door is lowered so -as toA frictionally .support the door. The track 2| is supported .by means `of a plurality of .brackets 22 which .are secured to a member 23 of the car under-frame. Disengagement .of the doorirom the track is prevented by means of hook-shaped members 24 secured in any. desired marmer to the plate member I5 and embracing the depending leg v25 of the track.

The lift mechanism which embodies the instant invention is Adisposed as indicated above within the tubular formation at the lower edge of the door. This mechanism-embodies connecting bars 2-6 and 2l, the adjacent ends of which are provided with. elongated openings 2-8 .and -29 into which vertically elongated pinions 3i] and 3l -extend .in order to .provide the pivotal connections between yan actuating member 32 carrying the pinions and the connecting bars. The actuating member 32 is journalled in the door in any desired manner, reference being made tothe patent to Beauchamp, 2,373,447, granted Apri-lll), 1945, for one method of so journalling the actuating member. This member projects outwardly beyond te metallic plate I5 and an operating lever 33 ismounted thereon.

The remote end of connecting -bar 26 is secured as by means' of rivets 134 to a pair of yoke plates 35l and -36 between whichare journalled vertically spaced rollers r3l and 38. Similarly, the remote end of connecting bar -2l is secured as -by mea-ns of rivets' 39 to a pair of yoke plates oneof which is shown at 4t. A pair of vertically spaced rollers Maand r4.2y are journalled between the yoke plates.

.A bracket member 43 is secured in `any desired manner-to the metallicmember I5. The bracket member 43 is preferably formed of a short length of angle member so disposed that the horizontal'leg 44 thereof is inclined. The horizontal leg 44 is -c'oped in such a manner as to provide an elongated opening 45 and formed so as to provide anupwardly extending inclined tongue 45. The vertical leg 4l of the bracket Vmember vis bent so as to provide :an inclined ange 48 which overl-iesfthe horizontal leg 44. Anfelongated opening 49 isiormed .in the flange.

Asshown in Fig. I of the drawings, the bracket member -43 is disposed so that Athe horizontal leg 44 .is in :conta-ct with the roller 38 .and the opening 45 therein is so Vrelated to the roller that a spring actuated plunger v50 carried by the bracket member will bear against the roller when the v.door is in lowered position and throughout the elevation of the door. The plunger 50 which is preferably stamped from a plate embodies an enlarged shouldered lower portion and a narrow shank portion 52 extending upwardly therefrom. A helical spring 53 surrounds the shank portion 52 and bears against the shoulder 54 of the enlarged portion 5| and against the ange 48 of the bracket member. A pin 55 extending through the shank portion 52 above the flange 48 prevents accidental loss of the spring actuated plunger from the bracket.

Again referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be clear that the spring actuated plunger 55 is inclined to the vertical and is guided in its movement by means of the openings 45 and 49 and the inclined tongue 46. Under the action of the helical spring the pressure of the plunger against the roller 38 urges the operating lever 33 to vertical position and prevents whipping of the lever during the transit of the car upon which the door is mounted.

A bracket member 56 similar in all respects to bracket member 43, except that it is reversed relative thereto and oppositely inclined, is secured to the metallic member I5 in contact with the roller 42. The bracket member 56 carries a spring actuated plunger 51 similar in construction to the spring actuated plunger 50 and oppositely inclined relative thereto. The plunger 51 remains at all times in contact with the roller 42 thereby adding its effort toward maintaining the operating lever 33 in vertical position and preventing whipping of the lever when the car to which the door is applied is in transit.

When the door is in lowered position and frictionally supported upon the track the parts of the lift mechanism are positioned as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Under the action of the spring actuated plungers the operating lever 33 is disposed vertically. In order to elevate the door above the track and support it for movement upon the rollers 31 and 4|, the operating lever 33 is swung in the direction of movement of the door. As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings the door is to be moved along the track toward the right and the operating lever has been swung toward the right. Movement of the operating lever in this direction causes the connecting bars 26 and 21 to approach each other and the rollers 38 and 42 to move along the oppositely inclined brackets 43 and 46 thereby elevating the door above the track 2|. As the rollers 38 and 42 move along the brackets, they force the plungers upwardly against the action of the springs and even when fully elevated, these rollers remain in contact with the plungers. The weight of the door has now been transferred to the rollers 31 and 4| and the door may then be moved toward the right upon these rollers.

When it is desired to lower the door, the operating lever 33 is released and the weight of the door upon the rollers 38 and 42 causes them to move away from each other. As the rollers 38 and 42 move oppositely along the brackets 43 and 46, the pressure against the plungers is relieved and they are biased by the action of their springs to maintain contact with the rollers. The operating lever 33 is thereby restored to its vertical position. When the door is lowered the spring actuated plungers through their contact with the rollers 38 and 42 will tend to maintain the operating lever in vertical position and thus avoid whipping of the lever when the car is in transit.

The instant invention embodies the desirable attributes of the invention disclosed in the copending application of Thorvald Madland, Serial No. 639,755, filed January 8, 1946, now Patent No. 2,475,507, granted July 5, 1949, while improving upon said invention.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention, which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In lift mechanism for sliding car doors having a pivotally mounted vertical lever swingable in a plane parallel to the doors, means operatively associated with said lever for movement thereby, and pairs of vertically spaced rollers carried by said means in horizontally spaced relationship, the combination with the upper rollers of said pairs of rollers, of inclined brackets secured to a said door in contact with said upper rollers, inclined guide means on said brackets, plungers disposed in said guide means, and springs engaging said plungers and said brackets and biasing said plungers into engagement with said upper rollers.

2. In lift mechanism for sliding car doors having a pivotally mounted vertical lever swingable in a plane parallel to the doors, means operatively associated with said lever for movement thereby, and pairs of vertically spaced rollers carried by said means in horizontally spaced relationship, the combination with the upper rollers of said pairs of rollers, of oppositely inclined brackets secured to a said door in contact with said upper rollers, oppositely inclined guide means on said brackets, plungers disposed in said guide means, and springs engaging said plungers and said brackets and biasing said plungers into engagement with said upper rollers.

3. In lift mechanism for sliding car doors having a pivotally mounted vertical lever swingable in a plane parallel to the doors, means operatively associated with said lever for movement thereby, and pairs of vertically spaced rollers carried by said means in horizontally spaced relationship, the combination with the upper rollers of said pairs of rollers, of inclined brackets secured to a. said door in contact with said upper rollers, inclined guide means on said brackets, plungers disposed in said guide means, and springs engaging said plungers and said brackets and biasing said plungers into engagement with said upper rollers, said plungers remaining in engagement with said upper rollers throughout the lifting movement of said doors.

4. A lift mechanism for sliding car doors having a pivotally mounted vertical lever swingable in a plane parallel to the doors, means operatively associated with said lever for movement thereby, and pairs of vertically spaced rollers carried by said means in horizontally spaced relationship, the combination with the upper rollers of said pairs of rollers of inclined brackets secured to `a said door in contact with said upper rollers, vertically spaced overlapping anges on said brackets, offset openings formed in said flanges providing inclined guides, plungers extending through said openings, and springs engaging the upper of said overlapping flanges and said plungers and biasing the latter into engagement with said upper rollers. 5. In lift mechanism for sliding car doors having a, pivotally mounted vertical lever swingable in a plane parallel to the doors, means operatively associated with said lever for movement thereby, and pairs of vertically spaced rollers carried by said means in horizontally spaced relationship, the combination with the upper rollers of said pairs of rollers of inclined brackets secured to a said door in contact with said upper rollers, vertically spaced overlapping flanges on said brackets, offset openings formed in said flanges, tongues struck upwardly from the lower of said overlapping ilanges adjacent to the opening therein, plungers extending through said openings in proximate relationship to said tongues, and springs engaging the upper of said overlapping flanges and said plungers and biasing the latter into engagement with said upper rollers.

6. In lilft mechanism for sliding car doors having a pivotally mounted vertical lever swingable in a plane parallel to the doors, means operatively associated with said lever for movement thereby, and pairs of vertically spaced rollers carried by said means in horizontally spaced relationship, the combination with the upper rollers of said pairs of rollers, of inclined brackets secured to a said door in contact with said upper rollers, vertically spaced overlapping flanges on said brackets, offset openings formed in said anges providing inclined guides, plungers extending through said openings, shoulders formed on said plungers, springs engaging the upper of said overlapping flanges and said shoulders and biasing said plungers into engagement with said upper rollers, and means carried by said plungers and engageable With said upper anges to prevent disengagement of said plungers from said brackets.

7. In lift mechanism for sliding car doors having a pivotally mounted vertical lever swingable in a plane parallel to the doors, means operatively associated With said lever for movement thereby, and vertically spaced rollers carried by said means, the combination with the upper of said rollers of an inclined bracket secured to a said door in contact with said upper roller, inclined guide means on said bracket, a plunger disposed in said guide means, and a spring engaging said plunger and said bracket and biasing said plunger into engagement With said upper roller.

8. As an article of manufacture a combined bracket and spring pressed plunger for use in lift mechanism for sliding car doors comprising a bracket, guide means on said bracket, a plunger disposed in said guide means, a spring engaging said plunger and said bracket and biasing said plunger in one direction, and means carried by said plunger and engageable with said bracket for limiting movement of said plunger in said one direction.

9. As an article of manufacture a combined bracket and spring pressed plunger for use in lift mechanism for sliding car doors comprising a bracket, a vertically spaced overlapping anges on said bracket, offset openings formed in said flanges providing guides, a plunger extending through said openings, a spring engaging the upper of said overlapping flanges and said plungers and biasing the latter in one direction, and means carried by said plunger and engageable With said upper fiange for limiting movement of said plunger in said one direction.

10. In lift mechanism for sliding car doors having pivotally mounted lever means swingable in either direction in a plane parallel to the doors, connecting bars the adjacent ends of which are pivotally connected to said lever means, and pairs of vertically spaced rollers carried bythe remote ends of said bars, the combination With the upper rollers of said pairs of rollers of inclined brackets secured to said doors in contact with said upper rollers, inclined guide means on said brackets, plungers disposed in said guide means and springs engaging said plungers and said brackets and biasing said plungers into engagement with said upper rollers.

11. In lift mechanism for sliding car doors having a pivotally mounted vertical lever swingable in a plane parallel to the doors, means operatively associated with said lever to movement thereby, and pairs of vertically spaced rollers carried by said means in horizontally spaced relationship, the combination with the upper rollers of said pairs of rollers, of inclined brackets secured to a said door in contact with said upper rollers, guide means on said brackets, plungers disposed in said guide means, and springs engaging said plungers and said brackets and biasing said plungers into engagement with said upper rollers.

12. In lift mechanism for sliding car doors having a pivotally mounted vertical lever swingable in a plane parallel to the doors, means operatively associated with said lever for movement thereby, and pairs of vertically spaced rollers carried by said means in horizontally spaced relationship, the combination with the upper rollers of said pairs of rollers, of oppositely inclined brackets secured to a said door in contact with said upper rollers, guide means on said brackets, plungers disposed in said guide means, and springs engaging said plungers and said brackets and biasing said plungers into engagement with said upper rollers.

GABRIEL MADLAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,373,447 Beauchamp Apr. 10, 1945 2,475,507 Madland July 5, 1949 

